Security talks resume as Khartoum indicates flexibility on oil

July 25, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The negotiating delegations of Sudan and South Sudan resumed in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Wednesday. The negotiations centred on border security issues as they prepare to enter parallel talks on oil today.

The spokesman of the Sudanese negotiating delegation, Mutrif Sidiq, told reporters in Addis Ababa on Wednesday that the oil talks would involve South Sudan putting forward its proposal on transit fees and other services before Sudan responds and puts forward its own proposal.

South Sudan’s chief negotiator, Pagan Amum, already revealed their proposal to the media this week, saying Juba is prepared to pay Khartoum US$9.10 and US$7.26 per every barrel of oil that his land-locked country export, using two pipelines passing through Sudan.

The offer, according to Amum, also includes an annual financial assistance of US$3.2 billion to help cover Khartoum’s budget gap which was created by losing three quarters of its oil production to South Sudan when it seceded last year.

Sudan, which previously demanded US$36 for every barrel of oil, rejected the announced offer but indicated on Wednesday that it is willing to lower its demand if South Sudan puts up a better deal during the formal talks.

"Our position will be developed in accordance with the new position that has been presented by South Sudan in their comprehensive paper," Sidiq said.

He added: "Our paper is going to be revised accordingly and we’ll see where we meet and where we differ and we’ll try to approximate the differences as much as we can through the discussions that will take place tomorrow".

The UN Security Council (UNSC) warned the two sides, in a resolution issued in May following the eruption of their brief war around the oil-producing region of Heglig, to conclude the negotiations by 2 August or face non-military sanctions.

Previous rounds of talks have focused primarily on the creation of a demilitarised zone along the poorly defined borders between the two neighbours, but progress remained slow due to the fact that the parties could not agree on a map defining the desired zone.

As the two parties entered security talks again, Sudan’s official news agency, SUNA, published on Wednesday what it called the paper containing the demands of Khartoum’s negotiators for reaching a deal with South Sudan.

Recalling the provisions of the UNSC resolution and the African Union roadmap on cessation of support to rebels, the security paper demanded that South Sudan withdraws unconditionally from all the areas occupied by its army north of the 1956 border line, defined as “the 14 Mile Area”, “Samaha area in East Darfur”, “Parts of Buhirat Al-Abiad in South Kordofan” and the “the area of Bahar Al-Arab south of Al-Mubram locality in South Kordofan State”.

The paper proposed the “temporary” adoption of the 1/1/1956 map, which has been used since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the two sides in 2005, to delimit the demilitarised zone until the joint border demarcation committee defines the borders between the two courtiers.

Sudan’s paper also proposed “the commitment to honesty” when discussing the issue of supporting rebel groups, in reference to previous instances where talks on security collapsed after Khartoum accused Juba of refusing to confess to its backing of the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N), which is fighting the Sudanese government in the border regions of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

The paper went on to propose that each party disarms and redeploys armed rebel groups of the other out of the demilitarised zone by 50 km. It said that the exercise should be monitored by the joint border monitoring committee.

It also demanded that South Sudan “immediately” severs its links with the SPLM-N and demobilises its forces.

South Sudan denies Khartoum’s accusation of supporting rebel groups. Khartoum maintains that security is its top priority in the talks.

(ST)

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This article is not worth commenting.... why do the delegation/RSS insist on financial assistance to Khartoum????, what for? the talk should go on as usual excluding the so called financial assistance, how do i assist someone who has branded me an enemy number one, unless if there is a point of complexity i am missing here. ELSE.

Did Sudan offer explanation on the issue of stealing and dishonesty over the oil revenues that cause the oil shutdown in January this year in the first place?

Second of all; who is going to be that unreasonable to sign $ 16.36 per barrel transit fee and on top of that, offer $ 3.2 billion assistance to Sudan annually! Are we really that unwise to make that happened?

This gang of north Sudan and the fake Arab at the same time has lost their tough, what is wrong with their greedy mindless criminal thinking capability? The world never come across hapless and a selfish, love to rob, with no shame in their eyes? This people might have already been punished by God, but still standing with devil sprite, they are really very stupid and dumb; the oil is ours, for just

less than a year, why are they still quarrelling with us for our oil? Everything in north and in the hands of fake Arab were either bought with our wealth or build with our wealth, did we divided the expensive weapon they bought with our wealth?
Did we divided the big read, good buildings, many more are done without our share but we just said nothings, now we will resort in to divide everything

they have in Khartoum including the house of fake God called Allah , [The mosque] or we will burn down as a win win, no more concession to terrorist in Khartoum,
Mr Pagan Amum kept strong and God bless you for your firm standing against evil in the north,

The so called leaders of our country are missing some chromosomes. How can they offer billions of dollars of assistance and $16.36 transit fee to these undeserving demons of the north. We don’t even have roads, decent health care, enough schools, and so on but they want to give so much money? We’re in for a lot of shit with these bush leaders.

The pipeline when in use should be monitor carefully otherwise the Arabs are very tricky peope you will found some of your oil will be diaverted,whereby you will divide it equally with them.
On border issue the SPLM should not be in hurry in accepting the current Khartoum proposal otherwise nothing has been achieve yet,and no withdrawal from the contesting border areas.

Bro your right, they always need money, they kill thier own people coz of cash, this reminded me those time we buried arabs special jailins with a coin or a note of money while our really Sudanese with some particles of soil on their hands, indicated those who die for thier homeland and those who die for money and not the owners of Sudan

It’s embarrassing these days reading how the inexperienced and weak SPLM team are bending/vowing down and allows Bashir to tounce onto them. I wish this is not my country at all, they stole, looted or robbed everything and no one raising these issues but only 4us to continue giving them even what we did not have right now...!!!

Akook you have a right to say your mind but don’t fucken called the movement that brought this simple negotiation weak and wicked, how dare you act irresponsible and insult the leaders, if you think we are weak, than what the hell brought what you are concerning? Dissolved all your bullshit insult with water and drink it. This team is very strong and determine to do everything possible for the

country, we will not give in like weak Riek Machar who got fool by northern Gang to accepted foolish & dumb trick and agreed to a 66.7 per cent threshold for secession in the referendum which give more doubt to the citizen and the SPLA/M as governing party in the south. He was pushed out from leading the negotiation team and was replaced by most and well-known influential leader called Pagan Amum

You keep refering to 66.7% threshhold in referendum agreed by Riek Machar. He did it because he knew that 99% would vote for separation any way. But you blind didn’t see what he meant. Riek also chaired the referendum task force itself until the result came out. Pagan Amum gives billions of dollars to Jalaba in A/A and will get some back to his pocket. Secret deals....

President Kiir made it clear last time that; “these kinds of charges $ 32.00, $ 16.00 transit fees or whatever price they throw around were irrational and a daylight robbery”! Is the president still stand behind his comments? If he is; then, the talk in Addis Ababa is just a waste of time!

It is really good to resume the oil talks between both sides b/c peoples are suffering due to inflation of both country particularly south Sudan due to corruption peoples who stolen 4 billion USD last 6 years which can recover those challenges a bit in the country but we south Sudanese we need to tell our leaders somethings about our people suffering for hunger while we got our freedom

Either South Sudanese are lead by a bunch of less intelligent people or the leadership is just a reflection of the people. Independence doesnt only means to wave a cotton flag] and having a national anthem. indepdence means to fullfill the aspriation of all the martyrs who fell in the field so that their offspring could have a better future than themselves.continue....

But so far, what we are witnessing is total disappointment. No single public funded hospital, not enitely functioning university, not paved roads, no sanitation, While at the same time, the leadership is promising their adversaries. 3.2 Billion US dollar annnually. 9 Dollar per Barrel. Dont they teach some basic mathematics in the South Sudan? If they offer Sudan. continue..

There are international standards of fixing transit fees,Jalaba need to know this,their arguement is not money,but it is support to SPLM/N .They say they will never allow our oil to flow so that we get money and buy tanks to SPLA/N.The offer is indeed too much,9.10 and 7.9 is enough.

South Sudan is in dire need of money and the same goes to Sudan for that matter.Corruption in South Sudan has already depleted the reserve that would have lasted till december according to WB,wolves have betrayed the people of South Sudan.Now lets take care of our selves and forget about the gvt

Mapour..Some times i wonder if your leadership can count? If they offer Sudan 3.2 Billion US dollar per year, not to mention divide the national debt which consist of 38 Billion US dollar equally. plus 9 US dollar per Barrel. What is left for the South?

Sudani ana, people like Ephreme are the real South Sudanese if you need one; because they are not idiots as you’re to believe giving you $ 3.2 billion annually and $ 32.00 transit fee per barrel make any sense!

We know how to count; any number over $ 1.00 transit fee is just stupid. Good luck if you going to have yours hands on that money any time ever!

Guys, based on my little knowledge about this article, it is South Sudan who is the real loser here. Our representatives in the negotiation have failed the entire nation! That mean South is going to pay 3.2 billion Khartoum annually, $ 16 or more as oil transit fees and at the same time South Sudan have been asked by the proposed paper to unconditionally withdraw their forces from 1956 north....

border based on the 2005 CPA agreement map. Who defined the borders then and if so, why are we wasting time negotiating for? South Sudan will also immediately cease supporting the Republic of Sudan’s rebel according t0 the paper despite the fact South Sudan been saying time and again that it’s not harbouring any rebel from Sudan. Who to blame here between UNSC, AU or the S.Sudan negotiating team?

This is very unfortunate situation to say the least but our thieves in Juba just need some deal on oil to keep their families and businesses running or else, this is nothing closer to being a fair deal in the expense our sufferings population in the South!
Weird how another sovereign nation compensate another when in fact they are two independent countries with ugliest relationship.

Why doesn’t the proposed paper ask Khartoum to withdraw its military wings who keep bombing civilians inside their homes in S. Sudan and still surrounding Abyei and other areas whose their present was even acknowledged by some international bodies? Kiir with his crooks will flush this nation into the toilet while majority of southerners are just watching.

1) The oil reserves in south Sudan is not going to last more than two decades and the reserves in the south are not huge as it is in Saudi arabia or Iraq, hence if Pagan amon stick with the offer he decedes this week, what is left for the south..On top of that, the new nation is also going to divide the national debt with Sudan equally? to continue

North Sudan is not ready for PEACE but disturbance. It might sound ridiculous to you, but there are some obstacles in this process. They talk about Severe link of the main SPLA/M with SPLM/A-N while they are suporting South Sudan rebels in every conrner of South and they are refusing to negotiate with their rebels as the SPLA/M Did to theirs.

1) The oil reserves in south Sudan are not going to last for more than two decades and the reserves are not huge as it is in Saudi Arabia or Iraq..Hence if they offer Sudan 3.2 Billion US dollar plus 16 dollar per barrell..not to mention divide the national debt equally, The south is obliged to pay 19 Billion US dollar..To be continue.

If the South accepted the border map of 2005..Why did the south annexed Heglig by waging war and resulted the death of many South Sudanese soldiers? Who is responsible for their death? Beside this, the south unlike the north which is dry, it is blessed with green and arable land hence why dont they invest in agriculture and let the oil revenue to become high income for future generation. COntinu

Paying Khartoum $9.10 and $7.26 per barrel? Is it for compromise or are we buying our Right with money? If we are compromising then What is their propasals? The only thing I see here is that Khartoum want us to say yes, we support the rebels! Which is stupid idea, our leaders need to be keen on those issues. There is nothing important than Abyei security.
Mach-Ajuong

Pagan Amum is giving in so past to Jalaba on oil deals and is setting a bad precedence for other pipelines to Kenya and Djibouti. Recently he was deceiving the nation by bragging that South Sudan would not pay to Khartoum more than one dollar per barrel. But now he has surprised us by jumping to $9 dollars, increasing it by 90%. What is going on behind the negotiations in dark rooms in Addis?

In simple and plain language...There is no vision among the hynas southern leadership...There is no a sense of responsiblity to the people who got killed, maimed enslaved. Has any one asked about those southners who were deported and their pension stripped by the north? Who is going to pay their salaries? The

Southners, disgraceful leadership. they should enroll, leadership for dummies classes.

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